Pokemon: Secrets of the Stars
by Mystical Star
Summary: Chapter Six: The battle is over and our heroes are off to start new lives. Ash is headed back to Kanto for a while to be with his mother, and what's in store for Jessie, James, Domino, and Meowth? Find out in Chapter six!
1. Meetings

Pokemon: Secrets of the Stars

By Mystical Star

A Kitty-Chan Production 

**Disclaimer: **Mystic does not own Pokemon, no matter how much she'd like to, so you can't sue her for anything *Mystic sticks out tongue and swats her butt Anime style* 

**Author's Notes: **Well, Mystic may not own Pokemon, but she does own the new characters and gym, so there, HA! Mystic owns something! 

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Part I-Meetings 

Ash, Misty, and Brock found themselves in a predicament. There was Team Rocket, standing in front of them, cackling, and the three trainers were up against a cliff of Mount Mortar. All of their Pokemon were exhausted from battle, even Pikachu couldn't put up much of a fight to the team of terror. 

"Haha! The day we've been waiting for since the beginnings of our team! The day we beat the little brat!" Jessie cackled. 

"Meowth!" Meowth added, striking the infamous "peace sign" pose. James just laughed, probably imagining what he could get with the money from his pay. 

Normally, Ash had a good comeback or some sort of something to counter Team Rocket's haughty remarks, but today, he didn't have any room to talk. 

"I won't let you have Pikachu!" Was all he could come up with. "And you won't get Togepi, either!" Misty hugged her little baby Pokemon to her chest as if to protect him more. 

"Hahahaha! Unlikely," Jessie laughed. "Prepare for trouble!" she cued. 

"Honestly! Can't they just get it over with for once?!" Brock sighed. 

"And make it double!" James joined in. "To protect the world from devastation!"

Ash's head raced with thoughts about how he could outsmart Team Rocket, but nothing came to mind. "To unite all peoples within our nation!" 

"Jessie!"

"James!" 

"Oh shut up already!" Came a third, unfamiliar voice. The five trainers looked about them to see nobody but themselves and their Pokemon. 

"Who's there?" James called out. In response, a girl with blood red hair landed in between the two groups of trainers from the cliff above. She was wearing a school uniform and blue headband to contrast with her dark hair and to match her oceanic eyes. She had a Pokeball belt strapped to her waist with three ultra balls attached to it. She casually took one of the balls off her belt and tossed it to the ground as if it was a rock. An Espeon appeared. 

"It's an Espeon!" Brock gasped. 

"Espeon, send them away!" The girl commanded. Without a blink of an eye, Team Rocket disappeared, Meowth and all. 

"What was that?!" Ash asked, amazed. 

"Espeon used Teleport to get them away. It would be easier for them just to go where ever Espeon decided they should." The girl shrugged, calling her Pokemon back into its circular haven. 

**_Slowpoke Well..._**

****

"ACK! I'm all wet!" Jessie whined. "Meooooowth!!! I hate the wader!" Meowth jumped up and down, trying to keep himself as dry as possible. 

"Jessie, it's too dark!" James pouted. "Oh quit your blubbering, these are my new boots!" Jessie snapped back. 

"Where are we anyway?" Meowth asked, finding a small sandbar. "Oh how am I supposed to know?" The pink-haired thief griped. As if to answer their question, a very loud, strange call. 

"Sloooooooowbro." 

The three comrades looked at each other with wide eyes and gloomy faces. They were now at least four towns away from where they were before. 

**_Back to our heroes_**

****

"I take it you're lost?" The girl asked, tossing her waist-length hair about her head. 

"Yeah, Mr. Genius here lost the map AGAIN." Misty pointed to Ash, who blushed. 

"Well, come with me, I live in Maplewood City. We've got a state-of-the-art Pokemon Center and a great Poke Mart with great supplies. We've even got a gym with training grounds for trainers and a place for them to stay." The red-haired girl said, gesturing in the direction in which she was moving. 

"A gym? Alright!" Ash exalted, finding himself yet another challenge. 

"Wait a second, why don't I remember seeing a Maplewood gym in the Johto Gym Guide that I got in the Johto Welcome Center in New Bark?" Brock asked. 

"We're not an Official Pokemon League Gym, if we were, not many trainers would go on to the Indigo Plateau." The girl explained as the four walked on a trail into the woods. 


	2. Secrets

**Pokemon: Secrets of the Stars**

By Mystical Star

**A Kitty-Chan Production**

**Disclaimer: **Mystic owns none of Pokemon, she's not that talented to come up with 250 little monsters that run around and make each other faint, nor is she smart enough to figure out how to create the game, draw the comic, or animate the TV series. There goes my self-esteem -.-; 

**Author's Notes: **Well, among the many things she does not own, Mystic DOES own Misao, Hiroko, Amaya, Maplewood City, Maplewood City's Gym, and the new characters that are yet to come. HA! So there! 

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**Part II-Secrets**

**_Saturday, the day after chapter one, 10:00 AM Johto time_**

****

Ash, refreshed from his night's rest, stepped outside the Trainer's House at the Maplewood City's Gym Complex. Pikachu, who had perched himself on his master's head, sighed contentedly. "Chaaaaa." 

"What a great sleep, huh Pikachu?" Ash asked, stretching his arms. "Pika-chu!" The little electric rodent affirmed cheerily. The door behind them opened. 

"Good morning, Ash!" Came Misty's voice. The black-haired trainer turned and smiled. "'Morning, Misty." He greeted. Brock appeared in the doorway behind Misty. 

"Good morning everyone," Brock said, stepping out of the doorway. Suddenly, an intercom system came on and began to speak. 

"Good morning, Maplewood City Gym! Today at the Training Center there will be sessions lead by the gym leaders from ten-thirty until noon. The shrine is open all day today for those who would like to visit. The gym will be open from half-past noon until six tonight. If you're not planning on doing anything at the gym complex, there are lots of other places to visit in Maplewood, so don't miss a thing!" Said the announcer. 

"So, Ash, are you going to go to a session?" Misty asked. "No way, I'm going to the gym!" Ash pulled his cap backwards just as he'd normally do in a battle before throwing a Pokeball. 

"Bad move," Brock shook his head. Ash looked at Brock and frowned. "Why's it such a bad move?" He inquired. 

"Well, they just announced that the gym leaders hold the sessions, right? So then, if you go to a session that deals with Pokemon battle, then the leader will more than likely share strategies with you, making it easier to battle that person." The Pewter Gym leader explained, holding his chin in his index finger and thumb. Ash shrugged. 

"I guess so," He muttered. "Great! We can all go to one together! I want to get some advice in raising Togepi." Misty said, hoisting her baby Pokemon high into the air, making it squirm with delight. "Togey-priiii!" 

"Alrighty then! Let's get going!" Brock said. And with that, the three headed across the gym grounds to the Training Center. 

**_Maplewood City Gym Training Center_**

****

Ash, Misty, and Brock walked into the Training Center into its registration area. At the head of the room was a desk with two women sitting there behind computer screens. Hiroko was talking to one of them. Brock, upon seeing the women, lost himself-again. The dark-complected trainer raced up to the desk and leaned over the side until he was right in the women's face. 

"H-h-hi! I'm Brock, a Pokemon breeder, and who are you? You must be a model in your spare time, you're so lovely!" He flattered. 

"Hello, uh, you must be here for the breeding session, would you like to sign up?" The secretary asked, leaning back a little. Misty grabbed the back of Brock's shirt collar and pulled. "Down boy!" She growled. 

"Ah, good morning my friends!" Hiroko greeted. "Good morning!" The three said in unison. "The leaders shall be coming soon, I'd like you to meet them all." The elder lady said, looking towards the doors. As if on cue, boy walked through the door who didn't look like he was even ten yet. He had fiery red hair and was wearing what looked to be a training uniform for martial arts. 

"This is Hinoko Ray, the youngest of the gym leaders. He became a trainer at age seven." Hiroko explained. The boy, who had joined Hiroko by this time, bowed respectfully. 

"But I thought you had to be ten to start training," Ash pondered aloud. "My parents really wanted me to be a trainer because they saw talent in me for raising Pokemon. My father lied about my age to get me going. It's one of the things I'm not really proud of." Ray explained. 

Next, a young woman walked in with pink hair and lavender eyes. She was wearing a green skirt and sleeveless green shirt with a white vest that was a little less that knee-length. The girl waved at Ray and Hiroko and walked over to them. Brock nearly went crazy; luckily, Misty still had him by the collar. 

"And this is Kari Aurora, she came here when she was ten after being in an orphanage for most of her life." The elder lady said. The woman waved and winked at the three. 

"Nice to meet you!" Aurora chimed cheerfully, shaking Ash, Misty and Brock's hands, Brock nearly having heart failure. Next in were two little girls who appeared to be nine-year-old twins. Both girls had orange hair, a little lighter than Misty's, and had blue eyes. They each wore the same blue skirt and white top. The only way to tell either apart was by the color of the broach on their bows, one wore a pink one and the other wore a green one. 

"These two are Takada Mari and Takada Marie. Their parents could not afford to keep them both, so they gave the girls to us. Mari and Marie are as one leader, they think as one, like most twins do." Hiroko introduced. "Konnichiwa!" They said in unison, bowing. 

The next to join Hiroko and the gym leaders was a young boy who looked to be Ash's age. He had blue hair and green eyes. The boy looked a little shy. "Ah, this is young Gaven Miller, who came to us from the United States. He is our honor student." Hiroko smiled at the boy as she introduced him. Gaven grew slightly red in the cheeks and smiled. 

"Hi," Gaven said timidly. Then a young man who appeared to be Brock's age strutted in. He had light brown hair and deep blue eyes. He wore a brown sweater and jeans. "This is Rex Tyrano, who also comes from the United States." The elderly lady introduced. Rex smiled and nodded. Suddenly, a girl who appeared to be Aurora's age came bursting through the doors, looking worried. 

"Oh! I'm sorry if I'm late! I set my alarm clock wrong again and I fell down the stairs and--ACK!" The girl fell to the ground, tripping on her own two feet. She had blue fluffy hair pulled back into a ponytail and light purple eyes. She wore a pink sleeveless shirt and short blue jean shorts. Hiroko chuckled. "This is Nako Sayori," The elderly lady said as Gaven helped the girl up. 

"Hiya!" Sayori waved after she had gotten up, a sweatdrop on her forehead. The next to walk into the room were a boy who looked about Ash's age and a girl who looked to be in her late teens. "And these two are Kotsuma Seiya and Kotsuma Midori, brother and sister." Hiroko motioned to the boy and girl. 

"I like bugs! See, I just caught this one outside, wanna see?" Seiya asked, thrusting a jar with a gigantic caterpillar in Misty's face. The orange-haired girl nearly hit the ceiling in terror. "AAAHH a BUG! I hate bugs!" Misty cried. Seiya's sister snatched the jar from his hands. 

"Stop that!" She demanded, glaring at her brother, "I'm sorry about that. I'm Midori, nice to meet you!" Midori said, shaking Misty's hand. 

Mari walked over to Hiroko and pulled on her dress. "Hiroko-sama, I saw Severina come in, but where'd she go?" The small child asked. The elderly woman frowned. "Oh Severina, honestly, come out!" Hiroko looked about the room, but there was no one to be found except the eight gym leaders, Hiroko, Ash, Misty, Brock, and Pikachu. Suddenly, Brock ran over to a dark corner of the room behind the registration desk and pulled a girl out from behind a plant. The young woman had long dark purple hair that went down to her waist. She had jungle green eyes and an orange headband about her forehead. She was wearing black baggy jeans and a black short-sleeved shirt with a silver star in the middle. 

"Hey! What the heck? Let go of me!" The girl snapped as the dark-complected breeder unveiled her hiding spot. "Severina! Why in the world were you hiding?" Hiroko demanded, but before there was an answer, Mari and Marie glomped onto Severina, whose head sported a large sweatdrop. "Think about it." Severina muttered. 

"Ash, Misty, Brock, this is Nekomo Severina," Hiroko introduced as the dark clothed leader stumbled over to the crowed, the twins dragging behind her. There was the sound of the glass doors behind them opening and closing and a familiar voice giggled. 

"Hi everybody!" Ash turned to see Amaya standing in the doorway with Misao behind her. Amaya was wearing a baby blue sweater and a short lavender skirt. Misao smiled and waved from behind her friend. 

"Hello," She greeted. Hiroko turned to Ash and his friends. "And I know you've already met Amaya and Misao, they are gym leaders also." The elderly woman said. 

"You're a gym leader?!" Ash exclaimed, pointing to Misao. The dark-haired girl giggled a little. "Well, I suppose I didn't exactly come out and say it, but, yes, I am," Amaya's friend said. 

"Wow, that's cool! You must be a really great trainer to be a leader in a gym that's only had five winners!" Misty said. Misao blushed. 

"You guys," Amaya gasped, turning to her gym leader comrades, "that's Makoto Ketchum's son!" she said, pointing to Ash. 

"WOW!" Sayori exclaimed in a ditzy voice. "Really? Oh, awesome!" She continued to rave. Ash blushed and pulled his cap down over his eyes. The other gym leaders began to talk amongst themselves, rather intrigued with Ash's presence. 

"Alright, alright, children! There will be more time for talk, but you have to begin your sessions in ten minutes, hurry, get to your rooms!" Hiroko prompted. "Today, Ray, Sayori, Gaven, and Misao are teaching, alright?" Hiroko said as the gym leaders scattered. __

"I'm going to Sayori's class!" Brock swooned. Misty gave him a strange look. "Well, I'm going to Misao's class, I bet she has some great advice on raising Pokemon." She said. "Yeah, me too!" Ash added. "Uh, Brock, you'd better come with us. The last thing we need is a screaming lady." Misty decided, pulling her friend along with her by the ear. "Hey! Ow! Oo! Ouch! Ee! Not the ear!" 

**_Training Center Session Room Two, 10:30 AM_**

****

Misao stood at the front of the room with her Espeon sitting at her side. The room was fairly large and had a garden planted around the perimeter of the room making it seem more like the outdoors than a classroom. The twenty or so trainers that had assembled in the room sat on the ground, quietly talking amongst themselves. Promptly at 10:30, Misao stepped forward. 

"Hello fellow trainers, I am Mizushinu Misao, the Pisces trainer of this gym. If you would, please each take one of your Pokemon out of its Pokeball." The gym leader asked. The trainers stood and each took a Pokeball their belts and tossed them to the ground. The sound of Pokeballs popping open filled the air as Ash sat and watched since Pikachu was already out of it's ball as Misty sent out her Starmie and Brock sent out Vulpix. 

"As you all know, each Pokemon has a special power," Misao began as soon as each trainer was seated again. "A Pokemon's power flows from its heart and soul and when the Pokemon learns how to use it, the Pokemon learns attacks." The Pisces gym leader knelt on the ground and began to pet her Espeon on the head. 

"When a Pokemon and its trainer bond, that power is shared by both, this enables you and your Pokemon to battle as one and draw strength from each other. This is the best way to battle." Misao explained, scratching Espeon's chin. 

"Bonding with your Pokemon does not mean spoiling it, it means teaching it a way that a mother would teach her child. Do the best thing for your Pokemon, reward it if it's good, and punish it if it's bad. Praise it if you know it's done it's best in a battle, even if it doesn't come out on top. You must show your Pokemon that you are capable of caring for it just as if you were its parent. Most of all, respect your Pokemon. These creatures are not things, they each have a heart, soul, and mind of their own." Misao continued as her Espeon licked her cheek. The gym leader giggled a little. One trainer raised his hand. The red-haired girl nodded at the boy who had a Raticate sitting in his lap.

"Why do we have to bond with our Pokemon in order for it to obey us? Don't they just automatically assume that we run the show?" He asked. Misao smirked. 

"Let's say that you're baseball player on a team and your coach shows no skills that are useful to helping you improve your game. Would you trust him?"

"No."

"So who would be the reason for the team losing every game?" 

"The coach, I guess." 

"So why is it not the same with Pokemon?"

The boy grew silent and pondered that thought for a minute, and another, and then Misao continued on with her lecture. "I'd like you all to spend the rest of the lecture time befriending recently captured Pokemon or a Pokemon who seems reluctant to listen to you, I'll be walking around if you have any questions." She decided. 

"Hey, Pikachu, is it okay if I work with Sniper instead of you for now? I'd like to get to know him a little." Ash asked his little electric friend. Pikachu smiled and nodded its head, "Pi-Pikachu!" Ash smiled. "Thanks buddy!" Ash took the Pokeball on his belt that contained his father's prized Pokemon and tossed it to the ground and Sniper appeared. Ash knelt down to the ground and petted the Pokemon on its head. 

"Sniper, I know my dad told you to listen to me, but I want you to listen to me because you want to, not because Dad told you to. I don't want to take advantage of a command like that, it's not fair. I want to be your friend." Ash said, looking into the Pokemon's eyes. Sniper wagged his tail. 

"Doom!" Sniper barked, as if to say, "I want to be your friend too!" Ash smiled widely. 

"Instead of training for now, why don't we play a little?" The young trainer suggested. Sniper wagged his tail even faster and barked. "Okay then, Come and get my hat off my head!" Ash challenged, taking his hat off of his head and waving it in the air. The Houndoom barked and began to chase his new trainer around the room. 

Aurora, who had just entered the room to see how her friend was doing, watched Ash curiously. Misao walked up to her comrade. 

"He is definitely a good trainer." The pink-haired earth trainer said, crossing her arms. Misao nodded. "He will be a great one someday." The red-haired trainer added, looking down on her Espeon, which had followed her over to the corner of the room. 

**_Azeala Town, Team Rocket Outpost..._**

****

Domino, 009*, or which ever you prefer, stood next to Giovanni, going over the surveillance tapes from Maplewood. The blonde crossed her arms and sighed she'd seen these tapes thousands of times, and now she was bored. 

Giovanni, while looking over some footage taken by the gym, had to do a double take. "Wait a minute," He said. Domino snapped back to attention and stopped the tape. "What?" She asked. 

"Rewind a little and identify that boy," Giovanni said as his underling began to rewind. 009 pushed the pause button just as a boy with an elderly woman walked into view of the hidden camera. The boy was wearing a red cap, a blue vest, and jeans. He had a Pikachu on his shoulders. The woman, Giovanni recognized in that instant. 

"It's her!" He gasped. "Her who?" Domino inquired. "Heh, an important figure in that gym, and that boy..." Giovanni tapped his foot for a second recalling the image of ten years ago when he and the beginnings of Team Rocket tired to infiltrate the Maplewood Gym. 

"Well, Makoto, looks like you'll have a higher price to pay that just your life," The Team Rocket Executive chuckled to himself. 

"Boss?" Domino looked at Giovanni with a gazillion questions in her head. Giovanni shook his head and cleared his mind of the thoughts from that day, setting his sites on the future. 

"Never mind, show me the battle plans." The executive said. Domino nodded and inserted a small floppy disk into the video player. A map of Maplewood City appeared. The Black Tulip pulled a small laser pointer out of her pocket. 

"We have Rocket Special Ops. everywhere in the city undercover. They've spotted some rare Pokemon at the Temple of Mew, such as Chansey and Clefeable. I believe that a report came in that there were some Ampharos there too." Domino reported. 

"Splendid," Giovanni chuckled. 

"From looking over all of the reports, the best plan of attack would be to surround the city in the forest and enter during the night, if we're carrying out the original plan." Domino explained. Giovanni nodded. "Commence second stage of Operation Star." He commanded. 

Domino reached for a walkie-talkie on her belt and pushed a button. "009 to 034, 034 do you copy?" 

"034, I copy," 

"Commence phase two,"

"Gotcha, moving Special Ops. into position." 

Giovanni cackled under his breath. "009, there are two extra things to add to this operation." He said. Domino raised an eyebrow. 

"Sir?" 

"You are going to capture that boy and bring him to me." Giovanni pointed to the screen with the boy on it. "And what's the other?" Domino asked. 

"That's for me to know, and you to find out." Giovanni laughed maniacally as he petted his Persian. 

**_Maplewood City Gym Building, 12:20 PM_**

****

Ash stood outside the Gym Building, staring at it with Pikachu on his shoulder and Misty and Brock behind him. "Are you ready, Pikachu?" The young trainer asked, looking at his electric friend. The little electric mouse's cheeks sparked. "Pika!" 

"I can't wait to see you lose!" Misty taunted as always. "Oh? Well if you can do so much better, why don't you challenge the gym yourself?!" Ash shot back. "Because, I don't need to prove I'm a great Pokemon trainer, I already am one!" The orange-haired girl laughed. "Togey-priiii!" Her baby Pokemon obviously agreed. Ash growled to himself and pushed the door to the gym open and ran to the registration desk where there was a young man at a computer. 

"Are you planning on challenging the gym today?" The man asked. "You bet!" Ash said. "Name please." The secretary asked. 

"Ash Ketchum, from Pallet Town!" Ash declared. The man typed something into the computer and then the doors behind the desk opened. "Go ahead, and good luck!" He said. Ash nodded and smiled to the secretary as he walked through the door, Misty and Brock behind him. 

The three walked into a room with fake geysers going off everywhere. In the middle of the room, there was an arena with rocks scattered in it and at the other side of the arena, stood Ray sitting cross-legged. 

"Welcome, Ash Ketchum. Aries is the sign of fire, burning brightly in the sky. My Pokemon shall scorch all competition with the power of the Aries star!" Ray declared as he stood. Ash smirked. 

"Fire Pokemon, huh?" He mumbled to himself, reaching to his belt for the Pokeball that contained Totodile. Ray chucked his first Pokemon into battle. 

"Charizard, I call on you!" 

"Totodile, I choose you!" **__**

**Next Time: **Ash takes on the Maplewood City gym, will he claim his father's title, or is he bound for failure? And what's going on with Team Rocket? We already know what they want to do, but what does Giovanni want with Ash? Will Jessie and James screw up the mission, or will the blast off again? All this and more in the next chapter!

**_Notes:_**

*Domino, The Black Tulip, or 009, is a Team Rocket Special Operative. She was in the movie_ Mewtwo Returns.****_

****

****


	3. Battle

**Pokemon: Secrets of the Stars**

By Mystical Star

**A Kitty-Chan Production**

**Disclaimer: **Mystic does not own Pokemon or any related characters, but she does own Maplewood City (Kudos to her little sis for the name ^_~), The Maplewood Gym, Ray, Aurora, Mari and Marie, Gaven, Rex, Sayori, Seiya, Midori, Severina, Amaya, Misao, Hiroko, and the concept of Makoto. She doesn't mind if you use them, just ask first please! 

**Author's Note: **I forgot to mention that the battle against Ray will be a one Pokemon each battle, I'll fix it sooner or later, but if I save it for later, I'll forget. I will also be skipping from battle to Team Rocket to possibly other people because not only do I not want to write about twelve consecutive battles, you probably don't want to read twelve consecutive battles.

**=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=**

**Part III-Battle**

_From Chapter Two..._

The three walked into a room with fake gysers going off everywhere. In the middle of the room, there was an arena with rocks scattered in it and at the other side of the arena, stood Ray sitting crosslegged.

"Welcome, Ash Ketchum. Aries is the sign of fire, burning brightly in the sky. My Pokemon shall scorch all competition with the power of the Aries star!" Ray declared as he stood. Ash smirked. 

"Fire Pokemon, huh?" He mumbled to himself, reaching to his belt for the Pokeball that contianed Totodile. Ray chucked his first Pokemon into battle. 

"Charizard, I call on you!" 

"Totodile, I choose you!" **__**

_On with the story..._

"Totodile, use your water gun!" Ash commanded, pointing at the enemy Charizard. 

"Charizard, evade it!" Ray demanded. Each Pokemon did as it was told, Totodile shooting water from it's mouth and following Charizard everywhere. 

"Ash sure knows what he's doing this time." Misty noticed, watching the fight. Brock nodded. "Togey-priii!" Togepi squirmed in Misty's arms watching it's friend battle. 

"Charizard, Dragon Rage!" Ray commanded. The Charizard dove towards Totodile and opened it's jaws wide and began to spurt the fires of Dragon Rage at it's opponent. 

"Totodile, Surf attack!" Ash yelled. Totodile raised it's arms and water from the geysers came shooting out and followed the small Pokemon's arm movements and rammed into Charizard. The dragon fell to the ground with a mighty roar. 

"Charizard!" Ray stood in awe for a second before recalling his Pokemon. "Good job, old friend, you deserve a rest." He conceited. 

"Alright!" Ash lept into the air and ran to his hyper-active Totodile, who was prancing about. Ray walked to where Ash stood. "Very well planned out battle, Ash. You can go ahead, but I promise that the next battle will be harder than this." Ray warned. Ash merely smiled and shook Ray's hand before walking into the next room. 

This room looked more like a prarie than anything else. There was grass everywhere and the ceiling was painted like a blue sky. Ash spotted Aurora standing on a tree limb. "Taurus, the sign of Earth, the very planet you stand on, home to all living things, the power to support all life, all of that power belongs to the Earth Pokemon!" She proclaimed leaping from her pearch. 

"Three on three Pokemon battle!" Aurora added, grabbing a Pokemon from her belt. Ash smirked. "Fine with me, let's go!" Ash said, also taking a ball from his belt. 

**_Outside Maplewood..._**

****

"What?! The Boss wants US in his helicopter?!" Jessie exclaimed, not believing what her commanding officer had just radioed to her. "Roger, every Rocket operative is going to be on the battleground, Boss says he needs ya in the helicopter for communications." The officer said into his radio. 

"Over and out," He added, before he turned his radio off. "YES! Finally, a chance to prove ourselves!" Jessie began to sob out of pure joy. 

"He's finally recognized our potential!" James cried, his eyes tearing a bit. Meowth's eyes also teared with visions of Persian being tossed out the door of the helicopter and itself in Giovanni's lap being petted. Suddenly, the radio came on again. 

"Are you three still there? Hurry up and move out!" The officer yelled.

"Yes sir!!!" 

**_Back to the battle..._**

****

Ash's Cyndaquil collapsed on the ground. "Cyndaquil! You did great, time for a rest!" Ash said, recalling his Pokemon. Aurora giggled. 

"Great job, Sandslash! Now it's time for a different Pokemon," She said, also recalling Sanslash. 

Ash tossed another Pokeball out. "Noctowl, your turn!"

"Come on out, Bellossom!" 

"Alright, Noctowl, use your Takedown!" Ash commanded. 

"Bellossom, Solar Beam attack!" Aurora countered. As the Noctowl shot at lightning speed towards the Bellossom, Aurora's Pokemon drew in sunlight from the windows of the room to it's petals and then shot them out at the Noctowl. Ash's Pokemon stopped short, feeling not only blinded but drained of energy. 

"One more hit like that and Noctowl's done for," Ash muttered to himself. "Noctowl, Confusion!" Ash decided. Immediatly, Ash's Noctowl snapped to attention and it's eyes glowed a bright red that reflected in the Bellossom's eyes. Bellossom began to swagger back and forth until it finally fell to the ground. 

"Oh! Bellossom! Return!" Aurora gasped, recalling her grass Pokemon and pulling out her last Pokeball. 

"Great job, Noctowl, you deserve a rest," Ash said as Noctowl dissappeared back into it's Pokeball. 

"For luck," Aurora whispered to the Pokeball in her hands as she kissed it. "I choose you, Pearl!" Aurora called as she chucked her Pokeball into the ring. A Vaporeon appeared. 

"Vaporeon?! Isn't that a water type?" Ash asked. "There's water on the Earth! And Vaporeon is the perfect water Pokemon!" Aurora shrugged and winked at Ash, knowing that she had suprised yet another trainer with her prized Pokemon. 

"There's no such thing as a perfect water Pokemon because water has a weakness, Pikachu, you're up!" Ash said as Pikachu lept off his shoulder. 

"Pikachu!" The small electric Pokemon declared.  

"Pearl, use your Surf!" Aurora commanded. With that, Vaporeon dissolved into a large puddle of water and slammed into Pikachu, covering it in water for a few seconds. 

"Pikachu, Thunder!" Ash yelled as loud as he could so Pikachu could hear him under the water. Pikachu let lose with the electricity, nearly frying Pearl the Vaporeon. 

"Don't worry, Pearl, I've still got one trick up my sleeve!" Aurora ran towards her Vaporeon, which had gone back to it's original form, and sprayed a Hyper Potion on it. Pear recovered.  

"Now, Pearl, Aurora Beam!" 

"Pikachu, Thunder!" 

The two terrifying attacks hit each other in mid-air, exploding. Pikachu's Thunder attack went through the explosion, slamming into Vaporeon, making it collapse. 

"Oh! Pearl!" 

"Alright, Pikachu! Onto the next leader!" Ash proclaimed, running up to Pikachu and hugging it. 

**_Mahogany Town, Giovanni's Helicopter_**

****

Jessie, James, and Meowth boarded their Boss's helicopter to await orders. "You again?!" The heard, upon entering. The three turned their attention to a blonde girl standing in the corner. 

"Domino?" James asked. "Man, the Boss must have been REALLY desperate if he asked you guys to be on the communication's crew!" 009 laughed. 

"Oh, yeah? Well what special assignment does he have for you? The front lines?!" Jessie snapped back, viens popping. 

"No, actually," Domino responded in a cool and collective manner "I have a top secret mission to tend to, so top secret that I wasn't even aware of it until this morning!" She teased. 

"Yeah, well, we didn't find out about ours 'till this morning either, so it must be pretty important!" James decided, puffing out his chest. 

"Oh, sure, directing incoming reports is very top secret," Domino laughed histerically. 009's radio cut off her laughing spree.

"This is 009," She said, calming down from all of her laughter. "009, prepare helicopter for the mission, everyone in position! Special Ops. are in positions in Maplewood awaiting orders!" Came Giovanni's voice. 

"Yes sir!" Domino said as she turned of her radio. 

"Alright you three, into the communications room for you, I'll show you how to work everything. " Domino said, pointing to a small room off the cabin. 

009 pointed to a button on the control panel. "Whenever you recieve a report from the feild, push this button to send it to the cabin. Outgoing commands will come from the cabin and flash on this screen," Domino explained, pointing to a screen on the control panel with another button under it. "Push this button to send it." She added. 

"Hope it's not too complicated, I'm off!" Domino saluted before leaving. Jessie and James sat down at the control panel and put the headsets on, ready for the mission to begin. A message came over the radio, 

"Rocket group twenty in position at Pokemon Center" 

"They've already started moving in, this really is an all out mission," James said, sending the report to the cabin. "Of course it is, we're using all fifty-five groups in for this, that's all of Team Rocket," Jessie said. 

**_Back to our heroes_**

****

"Chikorita, use Solar Beam!" Ash commanded. "Chiko!" The small Pokemon exclaimed, gathering sunlight. 

"Ditto, razor leaf!" Mari and Marie said in unison. Ash had passed Aurora's level and onto the Gemini leaders, masters of the Ditto. 

Chikorita's Solar Beam vaporized Ditto's razor leaf and rammed sraight into the Ditto, causing it to faint and de-transform. 

"Oh no! Poor Ditto!" The Gemini trainers cried, seeing their Pokemon fall. 

"Yahoo! We're going to the next leader!" Ash exaulted. 

**_Maplewood Gym Shrine_**

****

Hiroko sat in front of the altars at the shrine, praying. The old woman felt something approaching, something dark. 

_What is this feeling of foreboding I have? Who is coming? Who is coming..._

Hiroko heard someone approaching the shrine, she stayed where she was, trying to see if she could recognize the foot pattern. The door opened and something hit Hiroko in the back, sending her falling forward. The object wrapped around her arms and the front of her body. 

"What the?" Hiroko asked, examining her restraining device. "There's no getting out of that, old lady. You're coming with us, my Boss has big plans for you." Said a feminine voice. Hiroko turned to see a young girl with blonde hair and a black tulip in her hand. Her shirt proudly bore a red "R", making the elderly lady shudder.

"You again," She growled. 

"You're coming with me, that is, unless you want your head to be on a platter for my boss," The woman sneered, putting the black tulip to Hiroko's throat. The stem of the tulip was sharp as a knife. 

"I will come," Hiroko conceded. 

**_Back to Ash_**

****

Ash, now having defeated Gaven, Sayori, Seiya and Midori, and he and Misty and Brock were just about to challenge Severina when Misao burst into the room. 

"Hiroko's in danger!" She screamed, sobbing the whole way. Severina and Amaya followed Misao into the room, more like chased. Midori, who was getting out hyper potions and revives to give to her Sunkern, Venasaur, Raichu, and Jolteon, raised an eyebrow at Misao.

"What? Hiroko was at the shrine, how could she be in danger?" Midori asked. Amaya and Severina stopped running to catch their breath. 

"That's what we-tried-to tell her," Amaya said between gasps. "She says-she saw it in-" Severina was cut off. 

"I saw it in my visions! A big, red letter came and took Hiroko away from the shrine! After the vision I ran to the shrine, she's not there! She's not in her room, the gym, the training center, ANYWHERE!" Misao sobbed. 

"I think we'd better try and find her, come on, get everybody else," Midori said after she revived her Pokemon. Misao was alread five steps ahead, running into the other chambers of the gym rousing the other trainers. 

Ash ran up to Amaya, who was about to join her comrades. "Let us help you, we'd be happy to, right Pikachu?" The young trainer asked his Pokemon. "Pika!" It nodded it's head. 

"We'll help too!" Misty said with Brock running up behind her. Amaya smiled. "Thanks guys! Come on, follow me, Misao's probably already rallied the troops." She said, motioning to the door. 

"What's up with Misao and visions?" Brock asked as the four ran from room to room. 

"Misao is psychic. She has visions all of the time that forsee the future. She even predicted that a great trainer's desendant would come to Maplewood." Amaya explained.  "When she sees visions like this one we try not to freak out too much because sometimes she does goof up, but sometimes the things she sees get pretty spooky." She added as they burst through the gym doors to the oustide. Ash hadn't realized how long each of his battles had taken, it was six o'clock and getting dark. 

All of the gym leaders had gathered outside and were discussing what to do. The twins, Mari and Marie, were crying, "Where's Hiroko? We want Hiroko!"  Ash, being the Poke-Maniac he was, decided his Pokemon could help. 

"I know, let's all use our Pokemon to help find her!" He suggested. The gym leaders all looked at each other and nodded their heads and all threw their Pokeballs to call upon their Pokemon for help. 

**_On the roof_**

****

Domino, watching the scene unfold from atop the gym, couldn't believe her luck. She'd get the boy and the Pokemon all in one clean swipe. 

"This is 009, all of the leaders have pulled out their Pokemon to search for this old lady, do you want team seven to move into position?" She asked. 

"Splendid! Yes, go ahead." Giovanni's voice responded. Domino smiled maniacly over at her prisoner. 

"Well, we'll see where these kid's loyalties are." She sneered. Hiroko gritted her teeth in disgust. 

**_Back on the ground_**

"Looking for something?" A voice called out. Ash remembered hearing that voice somewhere, but he couldn't put his hand on it. He turned in the direction that the voice came, which was to the roof of the gym. There stood Domino, Rocket Agent 009, standing there with Hiroko in a restraining device. 

"Let her go!" Aurora shouted at Domino. 

"Oh? You want this old hag? Well, you can have her, but I want something in return," 009 sneered. 

"What do you want?" Ash gritted his teeth, knowing the price would be high. 

"You!" Domino pointed her black tulip right at Ash. The young trainer was stunned for a minute. What did they want with him? What was going to happen? What should he do? 

"If you don't come, not only will we take you're precious grandma, we'll steal you're Pokemon!" Domino added, pointing to the fence of the gym's grounds. There were Team Rocket members surrounding it. 

Ash turned to Misty. "Misty, I want you to take care of my Pokemon while I'm gone, and if I don't come back-" 

"Ash! You can't leave, I...You still haven't paid me back for my bike!" Misty stuttered. "If I don't come back, I want you to send them back to my mom, please?" Ash asked. Misty only nodded, her throat constricting as she held back tears.

Ash knelt down to his Pokemon. "I want you to be good for Misty while I'm gone, do what she says, okay?" He requested as he patted Pikachu on the head and scratched Bulbasaur's chin. His other Pokemon looked up sadly at their master, understanding, but not wanting him to go. Ash turned to his father's Pokemon. 

"I'm sorry, Sniper. I wish I could have gotten to know you better." Ash said, patting the Houndoom's head. Sniper whined, licking Ash on the face. 

"Be good for Misty," Ash said giving one final hug to all of his Pokemon.

"Ash, we can find another way-" Brock started, "This is the only way I can think of now," Ash interjected. "We can't let you do this, we'll battle her to get Hiroko back," Misao said. 

"I want to do this, maybe if I go, they'll leave you guys alone and the Pokemon too," Ash said as he stood and faced Domino. He began to walk towards the gym to offer himself up to Team Rocket and save Hiroko. 

"Pika!" Pikachu cried out, running towards Ash. "Pikachu, no," the Pokemon's master said. Pikachu stopped, he'd never heard Ash tell him no before. 

"Pikachu, stay with Misty," Ash said as he turned around to reveal his eyes full of hurt. "Pi?" The small electric Pokemon wasn't sure of what to do, his heart said to do one thing, and his master told him to do the other. 

"Pikachu, go to Misty for me, please!" Ash said with his emotions showing. Relutcantly, Pikachu walked back to Misty and climbed up her leg and jumped on her shoulder to watch it's master go as he turned around to leave. 

"Ash! Wait!" Misty interjected once again, but before she had a chance to say anything more, Domino threw a restraining device at him that wrapped around his body and arms and clasped in front of his chest. 009 pulled Ash up with a cable that was attatched to the restraining device. 

"Ash!" Brock gasped. "Ash, no!" came the cries from the gym leaders. 

"Ash, I-I...I love you!" Misty finally burst out in sobs. Ash, who had his head down this whole time, finally looked up in suprise. 

"Misty," 

"Oh enough of this sentimental mush, here's your old lady back," Domino interjected, pushing Hiroko off the roof. 

"Hiroko!" Mari and Marie cried. 

"Pidgeot! Go!" Amaya commanded her Pidgeot, who had pearched itself on a tree limb. The bird Pokemon flew with all the speed it could and caught Hiroko just before she hit the ground. Domino laughed as she reached into her pocket for a radio. 

"Mission complete, requesting pick-up," She said. Almost immediatly, a helicopter appeard overhead and lowered a rope for Domino. 

"Au revior! Thanks so much for your buisness!" Domino sneered as she pulled herself and her prisoner up the rope. Ash still gazed at Misty, his eyes tearing. 

"I love you too, Misty!" he yelled, knowing before too long it would be too late. 

Misty collapsed on the ground in sobs, her gaze still with Ash's eyes, Ash still looking at her. "Pikaaa!" Pikachu cried, tears in his eyes too. All of Ash's Pokemon called out for their master to return. Thousands of images ran through Misty's head of the first day she met Ash, the challenges he faced, the time he battled her in Cerulean's gym, the look on his face everytime he let a Pokemon go. "Come back..." She whispered, reaching up towards the helicopter as if she could reach it. 

Finally, Domino pulled herself and Ash up onto the wing of the helicopter and disappeared into it. "ASH!" Misty cried. "Pika-pi-pika!" Pikachu called out along with all of the rest of Ash's Pokemon, even Sniper the Houndoom began to howl. Brock knelt down to comfort Misty as the helicopter flew away. 

Suddenly, the Rocket agents that had been standing by lept into action, catching the trainers' Pokemon in restraining devices. "Liars!" Severina screamed, reaching for her Umbreon. 

"No! Pikachu!" Misty cried as Ash's beloved Pokemon was swiped away. 

"Oh, you'll wished you never did this!" Misao screamed, clenching her fists and shutting her eyes tightly. Suddenly, before her, a small, pink Pokemon appeared, floating in the air. 

"Myu!" It said. 

"Oh my God, it's a-" Brock gasped. 

"Mew! Help the others free!" Misao commanded the floating Pokemon. Mew's eyes glowed a bright blue and used it's psychic powers to disintagrate the restraining devices which held the Pokemon. The Rockets, not ones to be defeated, tossed yet more restrainers wich were also easily disposed of. 

"Mew, teleport them away!" The psychic trainer ordered. And with that, the Team Rocket Grunts were sent away. As the Pokemon a trainers were reunited, Misty only looked up into the sky to see the helicopter that took her love away.

"Where'd you get that Mew?!" Brock asked, examining Misao's Pokemon. "It saved me from the fire in the Burnt Tower in Ecruteack, remember me telling you that?" Brock nodded, recalling their first meeting. 

"I wish he would not have done that," Hiroko said in a worried tone. "We all are," Aurora said, walking up to the gym's caretaker. "Giovanni is a vengeful soul, I fear the worst for Ash," Hiroko added. Misty sat in the same spot she had been sitting in, looking at the same point in the sky, crying silently. "Ash," She whispered. Gaven looked down at Misty and then up into the sky. 

"We need a plan," 

**_Giovanni's Helicopter..._**

****

Domino walked up behind her boss with her prisoner in hand. "Boss, mission accomplished!" She proclaimed proudly. 

"Heheh," Giovanni sneered, standing up to look at Ash. "My my, you look just like your father did," He taunted. Ash looked up at the Team Rocket executive with fire in his eyes. 

"You..." Ash growled. 

"Boss, what do you want me to do with him?" Domino asked. Giovanni chuckled to himself a little. "Leave him to me," He sneered. 009 raised an eyebrow. 

"If you don't mind me asking, sir, what are you going to do with him?" The Black Tulip asked. Giovanni chuckled some more. 

"Kill him." 

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

**Next Time: **Dun, dun, duuuuh! It's the final showdown (between good and evil, that is). Will Ash be a victim to vengeance? Will Misty, Brock and the Gym Leaders save Ash? Will someone else save him? Suprising answers to all these questions and more in the next chapter, so stay tuned...and REVIEW darn it!!!!! 


	4. Victim to Vengeance

**Pokemon: Secrets of the Stars**

By Mystical Star

**A Kitty-Chan Production**

**Disclaimer:** Mystic does in no way own Pokemon. She's not creative enough. However, she does own Maplewood City (thanx to her sister for the name), Maplewood Gym, Misao, Amaya, Severina, Midori, Seiya, Sayori, Rex, Gaven, Mari and Marie, Aurora, Ray, and Hiroko. Everything else was Nintendo's idea. 

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

**Part IV-Victim of Vengeance**

**_Giovanni's Helicopter, Communication's room_**

****

Jessie scrambled at the control panel as about a dozen reports came in that some teams had gone missing. James scrambled along with her, sending outgoing orders to try to locate the AWOL Rockets. 

"This is crazy! How could fifty people all disappear without anyone seeing anything?!" James wondered aloud. 

"I don't know, but however it happened, we got stuck with all of the work." Jessie grumbled, pushing the 'send to cabin' button four or five times. 

"Meowth!" Jessie and James's furry companion exclaimed as he looked out the door into the cabin. "Oh what now, is that Persian dancing?" Jessie growled, frustrated with her workload. 

"It's the twerp! And 009's got him in the cable restrainer!" Meowth said, bouncing from foot to foot. "What?" The double trouble duo asked in unison. All three peered out the door of the communications room just in time to hear the end of Domino and Giovanni's conversation. 

"If you don't mind me asking, sir, what are you going to do with him?" 009 asked. The boss chuckled evilly. 

"Kill him," 

"WHAT?!" Jessie exclaimed as quietly as she could. "Kill the twerp?!" Meowth questioned. "Isn't that against the Rocket code?" James asked. Jessie stared at her partner, who, for once, had just offered something intellectual. 

"Huh?" Meowth asked. "Section two, paragraph four: 'under no circumstances shall any Team Rocket member murder any civilian, enemy or person. This is to prevent heightened legal pursuit.'" James recited, sounding very intelligent. 

"So, should we save the day, or let the boss have his way?" Meowth pondered. "Looks like Team Rocket's helping out again, but how?" Jessie asked. 

"Uh, Jessie, I have this strange feeling-" James stated, looking a bit spacey. "Like what?" Jessie snapped, trying to think of a way to help her adversary. 

"It's like something in my head clicked..." The blue-haired man said, scratching his scalp. "I think I have a-a-a-a-a-" James stuttered. 

"You idiot! You have an idea, now spill it!" Jessie snapped. 

**_Maplewood Gym_**

****

Brock paced back and forth behind Misty, who was still gazing up into the sky. "Darn it! My brain won't work!" the tan Pokemon breeder growled as he smacked himself on the head. Misty had stopped crying, but she hadn't moved an inch or said anything. She just sat there holding Togepi in her arms. Pikachu was madly running about trying to figure out a way to find it's lost master.

"Pikaaa!" It cried. 

The gym leaders all talked amongst themselves thinking of a way to retrieve Ash, but they had one small problem,

"Okay, so where did they take him?" Seiya asked Midori, who shrugged. Severina, who was standing with Midori, looked down at Misty and thought of something. 

"Misty hasn't moved since Ash was taken, has she?" The gym leader asked. Midori looked at Misty too. "I don't think so, why?"

"Hey, Misty," Severina called, walking over to the redhead and sitting next to her. "Him?" Misty replied, not moving a muscle. 

"Which way did that helicopter go?" Severina asked. Misty's eyes teared up again and she hiccupped a little, holding back a sob. She pointed into the sky where she had been staring since Ash had offered up himself in exchange for Hiroko. 

"Thanks, hey, we'll get him back." The purple-haired leader said as she stood. Misty said nothing, but she smiled. 

"Hiroko, they took him that way," Severina pointed north, "What's up there that Team Rocket would want?" 

Hiroko thought on that for a minute. "That's where the Temple of Mew is, but that's all," The elderly lady said, scratching her chin. Brock, who was still pacing, suddenly stopped as something stimulated his brain. 

"What kinds of Pokemon are there?" He asked. Hiroko raised an eyebrow. "Only some Ampharos and a few Clefeable," The gym caretaker replied casually. 

"I bet they're planning on catching those Pokemon, as for what Ash has to do with any of this, I have no idea, but whatever it is it's no good." 

"Yes, but even if we find them there, how are we going to get to that helicopter? If they had that many people come just to fight us, then they're bound to have hordes more wherever they're going." Gaven said. 

"We'll have to use our Pokemon power!" Amaya chimed, "peacing" everyone. Misty jumped at the words "Pokemon power" as they sparked an idea. 

"Bad idea, Rocket is after rare and powerful Pokemon, if they didn't get them here, they're certain to get them there." Brock advised. 

"Yes we can!" Misty declared, finally standing up. All of the chatter stopped and everyone looked at Misty. "But if they're just going to get stolen again, why try?" Aurora asked, clinging to her Vaporeon. 

"The power shared between Pokemon and humans! Remember what you said Misao, when a person and a Pokemon bond, they share a power. " Misty explained. Misao looked puzzled. 

"Yes, but that's-" 

"Just look at yourself! What kind of Pokemon do you use?" Misty interrupted. 

"...Psychic?"

"And you're psychic, aren't you?" 

Misao had never thought of it that way before, she didn't answer; she just sat there contemplating what Misty had said. 

"We can all use our Pokemon's powers if we just believe we can!" Misty said, bringing out a Pokeball. "Staryu!" She called as she tossed the Pokeball to the ground. Her Staryu appeared. 

"Show me how to use the power, Staryu," Misty whispered. The star-shaped Pokemon nodded and it's body began to glow as did Misty's. The orange haired trainer closed her eyes for a moment, seemingly concentrating on something. Finally, after what seemed like eternity, Misty transferred Togepi from her right arm to her left and stuck out her right hand, palm-side up. A small tornado of water appeared above the palm of her hand. 

**_Giovanni's Helicopter, Cabin_**

****

"Boss, are you crazy?! If anybody comes looking for this kid we'll be in deep!" Domino warned. "Pardon me, 009, but I don't remember asking for your opinion." Giovanni sneered, staring at Ash with a maniacal look on his face. 

Domino, not ever remembering* meeting this boy before, felt a little strangely about defending him. Even though she was a part of Team Rocket, she still felt a tad anxious about handing this "Ash" over to the boss. _I mean, kill a kid? For what? I've never even seen him before. Giovanni can't be serious; it's even in the Rocket Code that we can't kill anybody. And besides, this kid's got his whole life ahead of him...But I just can't go against the boss..._

At that moment, Jessie, James, and Meowth, who had been in the communications room, stumbled out into the cabin, sweat drops flying. 

"Team-" Ash was interrupted by Meowth's obvious signals to be quiet. 

"What now? Have you three messed up again? I'm in the middle of something important!" Giovanni flamed. 

"Actually, we were overhearing your conversation and instead of killing him first, why don't you torture him?" James blurted. Ash twitched. _As if dying was any worse...._

"What?" Domino asked. Jessie shot her a look. Suddenly, a thought struck Domino, _are these clowns trying to help him?_

"Explain," Giovanni said, looking a little interested. 

"Well, once you're dead, you're dead! No more suffering or anything!" Meowth purred. 

"But when you're still alive there are plenty of chances to be hurt and tortured," Jessie added. 

"What kind of punishment is death if it's swift?" James finished.

"Uuuh, yeah! Boss, let me, Jessie and James play around with him for a little while!" The Black Tulip said. Giovanni raised an eyebrow, and then smiled evilly. 

"Looks like you two finally may serve useful." He sneered. "Landing at Temple of Mew" A voice came over the intercom from the cockpit. Giovanni drummed his fingers on his chair's armrest as the helicopter landed. 

"I believe he'll make a wonderful dummy for our testing of genetically enhanced Pokemon, don't you think, Domino?" He sneered. Domino's stomach turned. 

"Yeah," She gulped. **__**

****

**_Ten minutes later..._**

****

Jessie, James and Domino lead Ash outside to where a few Rocket members had assembled a legion of Giovanni's genetically enhanced Pokemon. 

"Thanks a lot you two." Ash muttered sarcastically. Jessie leaned over and talked from the side of her mouth. "I'd say 'Prepare for trouble', but you're already in it, so hush! This is the best thing we could come up with on short notice." Jessie whispered harshly. 

Domino snickered. "Jessie, are you helping this little rat?" She asked. Jessie and James straightened and their faces filled with worry. "NO." They both said. 

"Well, that's too bad, because if you were, I was going to help you." 

Jessie, James, and Meowth stopped for a second, then continued on, a little surprised. 

"How did you know?" James asked. "Easy, you two aren't dastardly enough to come up with a plan like this unless you had something else up you're sleeve." Domino replied. Ash smiled to himself. 

"If we all get out of this, I know a place you're always welcome," He said. The three Rockets and Meowth smiled at Ash, wondering why in the world they were doing this and how in the world were they going to get out of it. 

The three Rocket members led Ash over to the east side of the Temple of Mew where there were other Team Rocket members all lined up in a row, each with a Pokemon. Domino leaned over to Ash. 

"Try to dodge anything you can while we think of a way to get you out of here," She whispered. Ash nodded as he walked to where he was being directed. As soon as Domino, Jessie, James, and Meowth had cleared the area and Giovanni had showed up, the Rockets with the Pokemon took ready stances. 

"Ready?" Giovanni boomed from his spot on the Temple, "Go!" 

Ash braced for the first barrage of attacks from a Machoke that was rushing at him. 

**_Back to Jessie, James, Meowth, and Domino_**

****

The four Rocket members stood to the side, watching their adversary/friend being beaten to the ground by one of Giovanni's genetically altered Machokes. 

"What are we going to do?" James asked, biting his gloves nervously. Domino gritted her teeth and clenched her fists as she tried to think. Meowth growled to itself, tapping its foot in frustration. 

Ash screamed out in pain, making Jessie jump. "ARG!" She exclaimed, holding her head, trying to make her brain function faster. 

Giovanni held out his hand to stop the Machokes and signaled the Victribells to move up and take a turn. The grass Pokemon began to whip the young trainer mercilessly as Giovanni laughed manically from his perch on the Temple. 

"Oh, please stop!" Jessie cried in a soft voice as Ash fell to the ground. Giovanni chuckled as he stepped down off of his platform and walked down the Temple to gloat at Ash. The Team Rocket executive reached the spot where Ash had fallen and stepped on the young trainer's hand with his shoe, laughing. 

"So, how would you like to suffer the same fate as your father?" He asked. "You're...a monster..."Ash managed to mutter. Giovanni stepped on his hand harder, bones cracking under his weight. The young trainer couldn't even manage to gather the strength to cry out in pain, he only winced. 

"Stop this, Giovanni!" Domino screamed, finally seeing no choice. The Team Rocket executive lifted his foot from Ash's hand and looked up at his right hand woman. 

"009, is this insubordination?" He gasped, a bit surprised. Domino gulped hard before answering. "Yes" She declared.

"Well then, it looks like this boy won't be alone...in death," Giovanni began to cackle evilly, as if he'd gone mad. 

"He's lost it..." James observed. 

Giovanni stepped away from Ash, still laughing. Then, observing the lineup of Pokemon that had assembled in front of him, he made a decision and pointed to one of the Dragonites. 

"Hyper beam!" He commanded. To everyone's dismay, the dragon Pokemon opened its mouth where a large multi-colored light was forming. Ash looked up just in time to see the beam heading straight for him and to hear Giovanni cackling insanely. 

"Yes! Yes! Yes!" 

**Next Time: **Holy cosmos! Giovanni's finally gone kuku! Will Ash survive? Will Domino, Jessie, and James make it out alive? The saga is coming to an end, only two more chapters left! 

**Author's Note: **Please don't flame me too much for leaving you on yet another cliff *grabs fire extinguisher*, relax; count to ten, and check back sometime between today (1/14/02) and Friday. If it's not done at that time, you can flame however you like.  


	5. The Power Within

**Pokemon: Secrets of the Stars**

By Mystical Star

**A Kitty-Chan Production**

**Disclaimer: **Mystic does not own Pokemon, to make things simple. She does, however, own the Maplewood Gym and City (with kudos to her sister for the name "Maplewood"), Misao, Amaya, Severina. Midori, Seiya, Sayori, Rex, Gaven, Mari and Marie, Aurora, Ray, Hiroko and her rendition of Ash's father. Please ask if you plan to use them. 

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

**Part V-The Power Within**

_From Chapter Four..._

"Stop this, Giovanni!" Domino screamed, finally seeing no choice. The Team Rocket executive lifted his foot from Ash's hand and looked up at his right hand woman. 

"009, is this insubordination?" He gasped, a bit surprised. Domino gulped hard before answering. "Yes" She declared.

"Well then, it looks like this boy won't be alone...in death," Giovanni began to cackle evilly, as if he'd gone mad. 

"He's lost it..." James observed. 

Giovanni stepped away from Ash, still laughing. Then, observing the lineup of Pokemon that had assembled in front of him, he made a decision and pointed to one of the Dragonites. 

"Hyper beam!" He commanded. To everyone's dismay, the dragon Pokemon opened its mouth where a large multi-colored light was forming. Ash looked up just in time to see the beam heading straight for him and to hear Giovanni cackling insanely. 

"Yes! Yes! Yes!" 

_On with the story..._

Ash closed his eyes, waiting for his demise, when he felt something grab him around the waist and pull him away. The young trainer opened his eyes to see himself looking down on a very confused Giovanni, looking about for his victim, who seemed to be missing. Ash looked up to see who was holding him. It was Misao. 

"Misao?" Ash asked, a little confused himself. 

"Misao! Is he alright?" A voice came from behind them. Misao turned herself and Ash around to see Misty standing there. The psychic Pokemon trainer handed Ash off to Misty. 

"I'm fine, but what's going on?" Ash lied. "It's the power of Pokemon, we're using it to defeat Team Rocket," Misty explained. 

"You watch Ash, we'll take care of the rest!" Misao waved as she disappeared, appearing to use a Pokemon's Teleport move. Misty smiled and began to set Ash down on the ground, the young Pikachu trainer wincing in pain. 

"You liar," The redhead chuckled. Ash raised an eyebrow. 

"Huh?" 

"You said that you were fine," Misty said, setting Ash down on the Temple's top step. "I meant, I was uh...finally.... safe?" Ash blurted. The water trainer giggled. 

"Ash Ketchum you are a strange one." 

**_On the ground_**

****

Jessie, James, and Domino stood speechless as their Boss as he went off into a mad rage. "WHERE DID THAT BRAT GO? I MUST TAKE REVENGE ON MAKOTO!" Giovanni boomed. 

"Who's Makoto?" James asked. 

"Revenge for what?" Jessie added. 

"Why on this boy!" Domino shouted back at her former boss*. Giovanni whirled around and glared at Domino. 

"You.... What did you do with him?" Giovanni demanded. 

"ME?!" 009 shrieked, wondering how the Team Rocket founder had come up with such a radical assumption. "Yes, you! What did you do with him?!" He demanded. 

"She didn't do anything, it was me!" Came another voice from behind 009. Domino whirled around to see a small red haired girl standing behind her. 

"Who are you?" Giovanni asked. 

"You're worst nightmare, we are here to destroy you once and for all, just like Makoto tried to do," She replied. Suddenly, Giovanni recognized the girl from that fateful night ten years ago. 

"You! That girl with the Mew!" He declared. The girl smirked. "Yes, that girl who Makoto helped save, that girl who is filled with the drive for vengeance for what you did to his family, that girl named Misao!" The girl cried as her body began to glow with a strange light. 

"Uh, Jessie, what's she doing?" James asked, pointing timidly at Misao. 

"I don't know, but I don't think she's very happy, she does look quite tough though..." Jessie replied. 

"And like they always say, when da goin' gets tough," Meowth began. 

"The tough get going! Team Rocket's running off again!" The three cried in unison as they raced away. Domino sighed and her forehead sported a sweat drop. 

"Give that boy back to me!" Giovanni demanded. "And just how do you plan on doing that?" Misao asked, smirking. 

"Little do you know that in this city, all of Team Rocket has concealed itself in places unknown to anyone. At any moment they're ready to strike with the greatest of precision-" 

"And little do you know that we've located those places and captured all of the Team Rocket operatives at each one!" Misao interjected. 

"WHAT?!" Giovanni boomed. Misao chuckled as she pulled out a walkie-talkie from her pocket and held it up in the air for all to hear. 

"Scorpio here, all Team Rocket Ops. at the gym are under control!" Came Seiya's voice. Giovanni gritted his teeth for a moment and then a thought struck him. 

"But I still have all of my comrades here-" He reasoned. But as he turned around he noticed that his Operatives behind him were a bit tied up. There stood pink-haired girl about the age of Misao with two ponytails and lavender eyes. In front of her was a whirlwind with each of Giovanni's companions twisting and turning in it, and the girl seemed to be controlling it. 

"Great job, Amaya!" Misao winked at her friend.

Giovanni thought himself stuck. His brain raced with ways that he could escape AND get Ash at the same time. Then he remembered something. 

"Well, you seem to have gotten me, but I will give you some wisdom that I gave to Makoto before he died," Giovanni sneered. Misao raised an eyebrow. 

"Never underestimate your opponent, Victribell, Vinewhip!" Giovanni commanded the standing Victribell. Luckily for him, the Operatives had not recalled their Pokemon. 

Before Misao had a chance to move, Giovanni also chucked a restraining device at Misao that he had been keeping with him just in case. Misao yelped in surprise as the device wrapped around her and the grass Pokemon began to whip at her. 

Giovanni laughed as he ran up the stairs of the Temple of Mew and drew something out of his pocket. Misao, out of the corner of her eye, could see the danger that was to come. 

"NO! Ash, lookout!" She cried, struggling to concentrate on teleportation as she was whipped. 

**_Atop the Temple_**

****

Misty and Ash sat together, waiting for help to arrive. The plan was that after Amaya had taken care of the Team Rocket Operatives that she would call out her Pidgeot and they would ride to the hospital to treat Ash's wounds. Suddenly, a cry from down below pierced their ears. 

"NO! Ash, lookout!" 

Before either could react, Giovanni leapt from the last few stairs of the Temple and laughed in mid air, then threw a sharp object from his hand at Ash. It was only too late that Misty realized what it was, a dagger. 

The blade hit Ash in his lower chest, below the lungs and heart. Just as the blade hit him, Misao appeared in midair, her clothes ragged from being beaten. "NO!" She screamed. 

"ASH!" Misty screamed along with Misao, her heart filling with zillions of emotions at once, anger, worry, sorrow, and then a new emotion. 

Misty stood, every part of her body shaking with fury. Misao teleported over to Ash and pulled the weapon out of his gut. "We need to get him to a hospital!" She said. 

"You won't be taking him anywhere," Giovanni sneered. 

"And you won't either!" Misty cried in rage, wind raging about her. Suddenly, Misty's body began to glow and she put her hands together. "What is this?" Giovanni asked. 

Misty took her hands apart to reveal a small ball of water that grew as she stared at her nemesis. Giovanni only stared as the orb grew larger and began to swirl, turning itself into a water tornado that was facing him. Misty, after a minute of forming the tornado, shot it at the Team Rocket founder, who tried to run. 

Unfortunately for him, Giovanni was a tad to slow and was caught in the twister which launched off the Temple and through the air, straight into a tree at the beginning of the forest about a hundred yards away. Giovanni was knocked out by the impact of hitting the tree and fell to the ground. Sirens filled the air as Misty came out of her rage and turned to Misao and Ash, who had passed out from blood loss. 

"Aurora must've freed the Police Station, officer Jenny will take care of that creep." Misao stated.

"Oh, Ash," Misty began to sob again. 

"Misao, what the heck-?" Amaya's voice came from below them. A second later the pink-haired gym leader appeared at the top of the Temple and gasped. 

"Oh no," She whispered. Coming to her senses, Amaya tossed a Pokeball from her waist. "Pidgeot!" She called. Misao put Ash's arm over her shoulder and hoisted him up. 

Amaya commanded her Pidgeot to land on the Temple top so that they could transport Ash to the hospital. Misty helped Misao get Ash on the flying Pokemon and then climbed on herself to hold the love of her life on the Pidgeot. Amaya and Misao climbed on after Misty, and they left just as Officer Jenny arrived with a squad of officers behind her. 

As Misty held Ash, she looked down at his face. Despite the pain he must have been in, his face looked so serene, as if he was sleeping. She checked his pulse to make sure he was still living. _It's small, but it's there,_ She thought to herself. 

Misty leaned over and kissed Ash on the cheek, something she had wanted to do since way in the beginning, when she found him in the Pokemon Center at Viridian when his Pikachu had been beaten up by a bunch of Spearows**. The water trainer smiled to herself remembering the fond times that she and Ash had shared as tears began to flow from her eyes again.

Maplewood Gym-Same time 

****

Hiroko sat in front of the television in her office as she watched the news about the revolt against Team Rocket. Everything seemed to be going well. The elderly lady smiled as reports flooded in from the Temple of Mew that a Team Rocket executive, suspected to be Giovanni, and twenty Team Rocket Operatives were defeated by some strange phenomenon and left for the police to find. 

"Pika?" Ash's Pikachu, which had been sitting in Hiroko's lap this whole time, asked. 

"This means that Misao and Amaya got Ash out without any problems, along with Misty," Hiroko explained to the small electric Pokemon. "Pikachu!" It exclaimed, happy with the promise of reunion with Ash. The elderly lady picked up Pikachu and stood. "Let's greet them, shall we?" She asked. Pikachu nodded in agreement. Hiroko and Pikachu were just about to leave, but a buzz of static from the walkie-talkie on Hiroko's desk that was used to communicate with the gym leaders stopped them dead in their tracks. 

"Aquarius and Pisces here, we're taking Ash to the hospital--"Static blurred some of the message in between. "--copy?" Amaya's voice asked. Hiroko grabbed the communication device, her heart racing. 

"No, I didn't copy, repeat!" She blurted. 

"----Stab wound! Meet us at the hospital, over!" The first half of Amaya's message was blurred again, but Hiroko didn't need any more explanation. 

"Oh, God," She gasped. 

"Pikachu!!" Ash's Pokemon cried, understanding the urgency in the situation. 

**_Maplewood Hospital-10:00 PM_**

****

_(A/N: If you can, I suggest listening to "If My Tears Could Bring You Back" from the first Pokemon movie soundtrack, it adds quite an effect, except, you may need to put it on repeat!)****_

Misty sat motionlessly in a hospital room filled with beeping noises due to the great amount of medical machines. She sat next to a bed, praying for the safety of the one who was sleeping in it--Ash. 

It had been almost five hours since Ash had been kidnapped, beaten, nearly murdered, and rescued. Fortunately, his stab wounds were not mortal, as once suspected, but he had been in a state of unconsciousness since he was brought into the emergency room. The doctors had told Misty, Misao, and Amaya that they had gotten Ash to the hospital just in the nick of time--five more minutes and he would have had lost too much blood to save him. 

Now, Misty sat in Ash's room in the intensive care unit alone, well, not completely, Pikachu slept on Ash's bed, curled up next to it's master's neck. Misty glanced between Ash and the window in his room. She could see the moon just over the horizon of the forest surrounding Maplewood and the stars that dotted the atmosphere. It was something she wished she could share with Ash.

 The young girl sighed and looked back down at her love. His face still looked as serene as when they were first on their way to the hospital. Misty began to cry again. To stop herself from sobbing and wasting more energy, she walked over to the window and stared out onto the beautiful panorama, but she only sobbed more. Togepi, who was sitting on the table next to Ash's bed, looked at it's owner sorrowfully. "Prii?" 

Misty quickly wiped her eyes. "I'm fine, Togepi," She lied as she looked from the window. The redheaded trainer sighed again and leaned up against the window, contemplating her situation. 

"Maybe I should go find Brock, it'd be better than sitting here and letting myself go mad," She suggested to herself. Togepi looked at its mother and tilted its head. "Togey?" It asked. Misty chuckled a little at her Pokemon's cuteness. 

"Yeah, I think I need some air anyway," She decided, picking up Togepi as she began to leave. Misty felt herself perk up again with the promise of getting out of her depressed state. But the second she got her hand on the door handle, something startled her. 

"M...Misty?" 

The young girl stopped dead in her tracks and turned around slowly and wide-eyed. She saw Ash, his eyes still closed. Pikachu had been startled awake and twitched its ears, wondering if it really heard what it thought it had heard. 

"Pika?" 

Misty shook the cobwebs from her head, convincing herself that she'd been hearing things and set her hand on the door again. 

"...Don't....go!" 

This time, Misty nearly jumped out of her skin with surprise and hope. She turned around to see Ash, awake and trying to lift himself up, extending a hand as if to call Misty back. 

"Pi! Pikachu!" Ash's Pokemon cried with happiness as it glomped onto it's master. "Hey, Pikachu!" The trainer greeted as if nothing was wrong. 

Misty stood there for a moment, her brain registering what was going on. Her blue-green eyes brimmed with tears of happiness and she whimpered a bit. 

"Oh no, Misty, what'd I do to make you cry?!" Ash worried upon seeing his friend's tears. 

"Ash!" Was all Misty could manage as she lunged to give Ash a hug. "Misty?" 

"Ash Ketchum, you never leave me again, you got it?" The young woman sobbed onto the love of her life's shoulder. Ash smiled and tried as carefully as he could to comfort Misty without hurting himself. 

"I promise, Misty, I won't leave. Hey, don't cry, c'mon, Misty," 

Suddenly, Brock and a nurse burst into the room, looking worried. Ash and Misty didn't look up or seem to notice, Ash was too busy comforting Misty. 

"Who hit the call button?" The nurse asked. Brock pointed to Misty, who in her blur of joy, must have hit the small button to call the nurse that was installed on the side of the bed next to where she was standing. The nurse sighed in relief and happiness and leaned against the door, watching the heartfelt scene between the two young lovers. Brock crossed his arms and smiled happily looking on the reunion of his two best friends. 

"This is the way things should be," He said to himself as he felt a feeling of pure joy well up in his eyes and spill over his cheeks. 

**Next Time: **Now that we know that Ash survived, what's in store for our heroes now? Will Ash challenge the Maplewood Gym again? And what happened to Jessie, James, Meowth and Domino? Find out in the sixth and final chapter: **The Promise Of Tomorrow**

**Notes**

*I say former because if Domino admitted to insubordination, she wouldn't really be working for Giovanni, now would she?

**I realize that this was Ash and Misty's second meeting. This is, however the first time that Misty showed concern for Ash (or his Pokemon) and the first time she really talked to him. 


	6. The Promise of Tomorrow

**Pokemon: Secrets of the Stars**

By Mystical Star

**A Kitty-Chan Production**

**Disclaimer: **Mystic does not own Pokemon, she does, however, own Maplewood City, Maplewood Gym, and all characters associated with the gym, you can use the ideas as long as you ask first. 

**Author's Note: **VERY IMPORTANT!!!! If you read the last chapter and it ended with Amaya, Misao, Misty, and Ash on their way to the hospital, GO BACK!!!!! I made a mistake and excluded a part that I thought that I would include in this chapter. I have re-uploaded it now, and if you don't want to be incredibly confused, please go back and read the ending again (it's not that long, but it's crucial to the story). Sorry for the inconvenience!!

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

**Part VI-The Promise of Tomorrow**

**_Maplewood City Pokemon Center, One Month after Chapter Five_**

****

"I know that I didn't exactly pass Pokemon Medicine school, but if you'd please let me just help out here, I'd learn more so one day I really can be a nurse!" A young woman with magenta hair pleaded with Nurse Joy. The pink-haired nurse clutched her clipboard and frowned as she thought. 

The young woman's hair was pulled back into two braids and she wore glasses that gave an extra shine to her brilliant blue eyes. She wore a navy blue turtleneck sweater and blue skirt, giving her the appearance of a schoolgirl, but she didn't look young enough to be one.

"Well, uh," Nurse Joy checked her clipboard for the woman's name, "...Jessica, I suppose I could let you serve an internship for three months to try you out--" 

"Oh thank you!" The magenta-haired woman squealed in delight.

"You'll start work tomorrow, then," Nurse Joy smiled and handed Jessica a paper "Fill this out and bring it with you tomorrow, see you then!" She said, waving Jessica goodbye. 

The young woman exited the Pokemon Center, filled with glee. She saw a friend of hers sitting on a bench outside and waved to him. 

Her friend had blue hair that was pulled back with sunglasses on the top of his head and green eyes. He wore a black leather jacket with a red shirt underneath and black jeans. He waved back at Jessica. 

"So, Jessie, how'd you do?" He asked. 

"It went really well, I start my internship tomorrow! What about you, James?" Jessie returned. 

"I got a pretty good job at the Radio Station in Goldenrod, and if I teach that Fearow that I caught outside of the city, I can commute there everyday!" James said cheerily. 

"Great! What job did you get?" The magenta-haired woman asked. "Voice actor!" James replied, bursting with pride. 

"Oh that's wonderful!" Jessie exclaimed, hugging her friend. "Maybe if we make enough money this year, we can finally buy a house!" James said. His blue-eyed friend blushed, smiled, and fiddled with the ring on her left ring finger*

"Where's Meowth?" She asked. "He ran off somewhere chasing a Pidgey that pecked him on the head, he should be back sooner or later," James responded, gesturing in the direction of west. Jessie giggled. 

"I can't wait to start our new life," She whispered, leaning close and giving James a kiss on the cheek. 

**_Purity Canyon-Same time*_**

Luna got up from the table to answer a knock at the door. "Probably another traveler who missed the bus again," She sighed to her husband, who was comparing water pH charts at the table. "Yeah," He said, looking up to see who was at the door. Luna jumped when she opened the door and saw who it was. 

"You!" She gasped. 

The girl looked to be in her early twenties. She had short, blonde hair and was wearing a white and pink cap. Her eyes were brilliant lavender. She wore a pink zip-up sweatshirt and blue jeans. Calix recognized who it was right away. 

"Domino! What do you want?" He demanded, remembering how terrible Domino was the last time they met. The blonde stared at her feet in shame. 

"Have you been watching the news lately?" She asked. Calix raised an eyebrow. 

"What does that have to do with anything?" The brown haired man asked. Domino turned to Luna. "Turn it on, you'll see," She said. The green-haired woman reluctantly backed over to the corner where the television was and turned it on to the news channel. 

"...And in other news, the Team Rocket Mastermind, Giovanni Rasputi, was put on trial today for the attempted murder of this young boy," The reporter proclaimed as a picture of a familiar boy flashed on the screen. 

"Ash!" Luna gasped. 

"I would have never helped him...if I would have known he'd go after an innocent boy," Domino said in an emotional voice, still staring at the ground. 

"Domino, you--?" 

"Yes, I kidnapped Ash for Giovanni, but now.... now I just want a normal life." The former Rocket Agent admitted. 

"Why should I trust you?" Calix interrogated. 

"I believed in Giovanni before all this. I thought what Team Rocket was doing was right, but then, the boss did something that I just couldn't follow, it wasn't right. And when he tried to kill that boy.... I lost all faith in what I was doing. I don't want to live that way anymore." Domino explained as she held back sobs.

Luna put her hand on Domino's shoulder. 

"What kind of normal life did you want?" 

**_Maplewood City Gym Building_**

****

"In the latest news, Team Rocket mastermind, Giovanni Rasputi, was convicted to life in prison this afternoon for attempted murder of a young Pokemon trainer, and another life sentence for the murder of Makoto Ketchum, an important figure in the Maplewood City Gym." The television reporter announced as a picture of Ash and another one of his father flashed on the screen. "Rasputi also received a twenty years sentence for grand Pokemon theft in the first degree. The rest of Team Rocket's agents will be tried separately in the coming weeks." 

"Justice is served," Hinoko Ray sighed, stretching his arms above his head as he sat on the couch, accompanied by Aurora, Midori, and Seiya. 

"Yup, finally, we can forget about Team Rocket." Aurora thought cheerfully. 

"I'm glad he got the life sentence. I hope they put him in a four-by-four room with the walls painted black." Seiya said. 

"Seiya! Remember what I taught you!" Midori snapped Seiya sighed. 

"Never wish something upon someone that you wouldn't want done to you. Revenge gets you nowhere," The young trainer recited. Aurora and Ray giggled. 

**_Trainer's Complex-Same time_**

****

"Ash! What did you do to yourself, why do you have a bandage on your head?" Ash's mother demanded through the videophone in her house while Ash sweat dropped from the phone in the Trainer's Complex. 

"Just a second, Mom," Ash said, leaning out from the chair he was seated in and glaring at Brock and Misty, who were supposed to have called Delia while Ash was recovering in the hospital. 

"Mom, you haven't heard what's been going on here?" The young trainer asked. 

"No, actually, I've been rather busy lately with helping Professor Oak at his lab, he's working on a new version of the Pokedex. So, what is going on in Johto?" Ash's mother asked innocently. 

"Team Rocket was here and they...kidnapped me--"

"WHAT?! Ash, are you all right? Have they been caught yet? Where's my lawyer's phone number?!" Delia freaked out. 

"Mom, calm down! I'm fine and Team Rocket's been arrested and lots of them are on trial, but that's not what I called about," Ash said, dreading the moments to come. 

"Well then what DID you call about?! How could you not get a hold of your own mother for a month to let me know what was going on? Why, if your father was here right now--" 

Delia's last words stung at Ash's heart and tears brimmed in his eyes. He held them back. 

"Dad's dead." He blurted, quieting his mother out of her lecture. Delia looked at her son through the screen, not quite sure of what he had said. 

"Could you repeat that, because I could have just sworn I heard you say that your father is-is-is--"

"Dead," 

Delia stopped talking and her eyes grew wide, tears brimming on them and threatening to spill over her cheeks like waterfalls of sorrow. 

"Ash...I--"

"Mom, I'm coming home for a little while, okay? I think we need some time to talk about D--Dad," Ash interjected, not wanting to see his mother cry. Delia nodded and whimpered. 

"I'll be seeing you in a few days then? Will you be taking the Magnet Train?" She asked, wiping the tears from her eyes. 

"Yeah, I'll be seeing you," Ash said, closing the conversation. 

"I love you," Delia said, smiling. Her son smiled back. "I love you too, Mom," And then, both hung up. 

"Ash, we're sorry we didn't call your mom, but we just didn't know how to let her know without her flipping out," Brock excused as he walked up to his friend. 

"Oh, it's alright. I just want to get going, what about you guys?" Ash sighed, standing from the chair he'd been sitting in. 

"Sure," Said Misty. 

"Alrighty," Brock chimed. 

"Pikachu!" Ash's Pokemon affirmed, smiling. The young Pokemon trainer smiled at his friends. 

"Okay, let's get goin'!" 

**_Outside Maplewood City Gym_**

****

"So, you're leaving?" Came a voice from behind the fence. Ash, Misty, Brock, and Pikachu turned around to see the gym leaders and Hiroko behind the fence, walking towards them. 

"Yeah, I'm we're taking a little break from training," Brock explained. Misao stepped forward. 

"Ash, please, take this," She said, extending her closed fist and opening it to reveal a small object in her palm. It was a blue circular object with a yellow star in the middle of it. 

"The Star badge?" Ash asked, examining it. Misao nodded. 

"But I haven't even fought you yet!" The young trainer thought aloud. 

"We thought about it a lot, and we decided that you are worthy of the Star badge, take it, Ash," Severina spoke up. Ash looked down on the badge, then at the leaders. 

"Pikah?" Pikachu questioned from its master's shoulders. Ash smiled. 

"I can't take it. I didn't earn it." He stated. Misao raised an eyebrow. 

"But we think--"

"Winning the Star badge is something I want to do by Pokemon battles, to follow in my father's footsteps. He was on his way to be a master, and I want to make it there for him," Ash explained. Misao smiled. 

"I have no doubt that you'll be a Pokemon master, Ash. And when you are, you can come back here, but next time, you might not be so lucky!" The red-haired leader said, winking. Ash chuckled a little. 

"I'm not so sure!" He retorted. 

"Well, Ash Ketchum, there is one thing I neglected to give you," Hiroko said, stepping next to Misao. 

"This is the badge that your father earned, please, take it with you," She said, giving a Star badge to Ash. The young trainer examined the object in wonder, as if it was some sort of ancient relic. A large smile crossed his face. 

"Thank you very much, Hiroko. And thank you, Misao, Amaya, everybody. Without you, I'm sure Team Rocket would still be trying to take over the world, and I would probably be dead," Ash said, gratefully as he and his friends turned to leave Maplewood. 

"We'll never forget you!" Misty yelled back at the gym leaders. "Especially not you, Sayori!!!" Brock called, his heart all aflutter. Misty smacked him. 

All of the gym leaders laughed and waved as they watched their friends leave for Goldenrod City and the Magnet Train. Misao brought her arm down from the air after Ash, Misty, Brock, and Pikachu were nearly out of sight and sighed to herself. 

"And we will certainly not forget you, Ash Ketchum," She declared quietly as she turned to re-enter gym grounds. But as she whipped around, she was startled to see a ghostly figure standing behind her a little to her left, waving at Ash. Misao wondered for only a minute as to who it was, and then smiled. 

"Neither will you be alone, because your father is always watching over you," She whispered as she watched the ghostly figure of Makoto Ketchum wave his son goodbye.

**THE END**

**Author's Note: **So what do you think? Let me know and write a review, please! I hope you liked it, and I will have you know that I thoroughly enjoyed writing this, and I'm thinking about writing a story about the origins of the gym leaders, as well as a sequel to this, so keep your eyes peeled!

**Notes:**

*For those of you who didn't get the clue, it's a wedding ring (sorry if I'm making you feel stupid, I don't mean it)

** Purity Canyon was the setting for the second Mewtwo movie in which we first meet Domino. She went there on a secret mission to locate Mewtwo undercover with a scientist studying the water in Purity Canyon. Luna and Cullen Calix live in a cabin right above Purity River and are happily married (As of the end of _Mewtwo Returns)_


End file.
